Which platform do you guys think the Methodists should vote on?
The three platforms to be voted on:
The One Church Plan, in which the United Methodist Church remains united but in which no annual conference, bishop, congregation or pastor is compelled to act contrary to their convictions. For example, a pastor who believes same-sex marriage should not be sanctioned by the church would not be required to perform same-sex marriages.
▪ The Connectional Conference Plan, which would replace the denomination’s five current U.S. jurisdictions with three “connectional conferences,” each covering the whole country but distinct in theological perspectives on LGBTQ ministry. The General Conference would still have authority over shared doctrine and would serve as a venue to connecting the conferences.
▪ The Traditionalist plan, under which the denomination would hold to the current language in the Book of Discipline, broadening the definition of “practicing homosexual” to anyone living in a same-sex marriage or civil union and anyone who publicly says they are gay. It would require every annual conference to enforce the ban on performing gay marriages and ordaining ministers who are gay. Annual conferences that don’t promise to enforce the ban would be “encouraged to form something similar to an ‘autonomous, affiliated or concordat church.’” As of 2021, those conferences would not be allowed to use the United Methodist name and logo and would no longer receive money from the United Methodist Church. Local churches that wanted to uphold the ban — when their conferences would not promise to do so — could vote to remain within the denomination.